A climate of change

Proposals for an emissions trading scheme in Australia have met with widespread support from industry. However, some stakeholders are questioning what the impact will be on their business, and some believe an ETS alone may not be enough to meet greenhouse gas reduction targets, as Roderick Bruce discovers

It now seems certain that Australia will have a cap-and-trade emissions trading scheme (ETS) by 2011, which, according to Prime Minister John Howard, "will include maximum practical coverage of emissions sources and sinks, and all greenhouse gases". Both of Australia's major political parties, as well most of Australian industry, support the government's current proposals. But despite this harmony of intent, there are concerns that many of the Australian companies affected by the scheme will not